First some background...
I have a 15 y/o girl whom I have been doing speech therapy with for the past 1.5 years. I had her younger brother in therapy for 3 years also, so I have become very close to this family. *S* has a type of dyslexia where she can read just fine, but she has incredible difficulties with spelling and sounding words out aloud, although she *knows* the word and what it means. She has made incredible progress with spelling and I'll be discharging her from therapy next week.

*S* is a voracious reader and usually reads about 3-4 thick teenage/adult novels a week. Last week she was reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" on my recommendation and loved it. I always get my speech kids a small gift when they "graduate." I'd like to get her something very personal because her self-esteem was in the toilet when we started working together and now she has written hundreds of pages toward her first novel and believes she can conquer the world. I was thinking about the book, "84 Charing Cross Road" for her. I love that book and it is all about books and the love of reading. The only problem is that I think it may be a little too mature for her. It's a very clean book, but I'm afraid she won't really appreciate it until about 5-10 years from now. Should I get that or do you have another book idea? I've also thought about "Little Women" (don't know if she's read it) with an inscription on the fly leaf something to the effect of "It's been a joy to watch you blossom into 'Jo.' Can't wait to read your first book!"

Any suggestions for an empowering and personal bookish gift would be much appreciated--it doesn't have tobe a book either.

By Jann on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 03:09 pm:

What about a silver butterfly charm. You could put it on a black cord for a necklace. Write her a note to go with it that says "It's been a joy to watch you blossom". (or you could do a flower charm too)
James Avery has them at a pretty reasonable price.

By Jann on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 03:16 pm:

Something like this.......

http://secure.jamesavery.com/view_jewelry/search/viewProduct.jsp?itemCode=C-360A

http://secure.jamesavery.com/view_jewelry/search/viewProduct.jsp?itemCode=C-385

By Kate on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 03:17 pm:

Fifteen, eh? Would she like Stepping Heavenward? Katy was 16 when she begins the diary....

I do think Little Women is appropriate, especially in light of the Jo character. If she's into Laura Ingalls Wilder there are other books out there, like Little House in the Ozarks that is a collection of Laura's magazine articles, as well as Little House Sampler and Little House Reader. Other than that I like the Chicken Soup books and they have them for teens.

By Bea on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 03:31 pm:

How about a subscription to Seventeen Magazine? There is fiction and poetry written by teens featured, and it could inspire her further.

By Colette on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 03:31 pm:

How about "Yay You" by Sandra Boynton, with the charms that Jann mentioned.

By Colette on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 04:08 pm:

Here is the link for Yay You http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/068984283X/qid=1114459668/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/002-8802588-1752013?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

By Annie2 on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 10:59 pm:

An engraved bookmarker with her name, date, from...."your name" and a personalized inscribed few words; such as......